Redemption
by Kittythekatty
Summary: "Are you insane? Asking her to rehabilitate him is like asking a kitten to watch over a lion." When Starfleet places a man who is superior to humanity in the care of Counselor who is childishly naive and kind, what will happen?
1. Prologue

**A/n: This isn't what you were expecting was it? I apologize for that, but before I go take my finals, this little thought popped into my head. the tone of this story has been more humorous and light, but this mini-chapter sheds some light onto the real situation. Told from the point of view of a childish Counselor, she comes to accept her position and the risks. **

**Prologue title: Premonitions  
**

* * *

He was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Khan was a man bred to end a war, to bring peace. Instead, he and his brethren conquer much of Earth. After almost being tried and captured, Khan and his "family" escaped in a ship. They were put in stasis, quietly sleeping and waiting. 300 years later, Khan was the first to be awakened by Admiral Alexander Marcus. Khan's awakening wasn't accidental, Starfleet had found the ship, The Botany Bay and they opened it up. Marcus wanted to exploit Khan's intellect, his savagery to design weapons for a war that may never even happen. Marcus wanted to defend the Federation, make Starfleet more like a military organization, not a peacekeeping humanitarian organization. Marcus blackmailed Khan, he used Khan's love for his family in order to keep him working. Marcus bullied the dragon, not knowing what to expect. Because of Khan, many have died including Marcus. Innocent peoples' lives were lost because of Khan and Marcus.

Khan is now aboard the Enterprise. Lieutenant Commander Keris Galan, a Betazoid Counselor was commanded to "Rehabilitate Khan, make him a functioning member of society." The term "Rehabilitate" suggests that Khan is psychologically unsound. He was a savage, brutal man; but he was not insane. And make him a functioning member of society? That sounds like brainwashing. Whatever Starfleet really wanted, only the people higher up knew. Keris was not the most qualified person for Starfleet's task, but she served as the Counselor for the Enterprise. Starfleet wanted Khan as far away from the Earth and any other Federation world for that natter. Khan could have killed everyone on the Enterprise, but he remains rather quiet compared to his previous state. Why? Was he waiting for an opportune time to strike? All that was given to keep Khan under control was a tranquilizer cuff. Was that really all it took? Keris was on edge, she could feel this man's thoughts. There weren't any thoughts or signs of him lashing out. In fact, Khan displayed emotions that were against his personality.

For now, everyone could just wait and hope for the best. A bomb waiting patiently to go off was aboard the Enterprise and if it went off: Everyone would be helpless to stop it.

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**Reviews are appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/: I watched Star Trek Into Darkness...And I really liked it! It inspired me to write the Spin-off of "But the Floor Needed a Hug". I hope y'all enjoy it. Feel free to review. This story involves Keris and a certain super human.**

**Warning: This fic may contain spoilers for Star Trek Into Darkness. Reader discretion is advised.**

* * *

After an extremely stressful mission involving a black starship, chief engineers quitting,and death, Captain James Tiberius Kirk was glad that is was over. The Enterprise had been assigned a five year mission to explore the beyond. It sounded really fun and cool, but to be honest...It was kind of boring. Of course, our beloved captain is accustomed to enemy ships dropping out of warp, phasers ready to fire. So far though, all that was going on was star-mapping. No encounters with new civilizations or new species. Just star mapping. The Enterprise was heading to Starbase 27 for a few quick repairs. For an energetic captain, this is punishment. We find our captain sitting on his chair, drumming his fingers and spinning around. Jim is finally dismissed and he runs off to his quarters excitedly.

* * *

Jim didn't expect much when he returned to his quarters. He just wanted to change, grab a bite to eat, then maybe have some fun before he showers and heads off to bed. However, when Jim arrives at his quarters; a transmission is waiting for him. Curious, he looks at the request. It's from Admiral Lucas, one of the few to survive the recent attack. Jim straightens out his uniform and opens the transmission.

"Admiral Lucas," Jim greets. The image of an aged, smiling woman appears on the screen. Jim smiles briefly, then puts on a dignified face. Admiral Jean Lucas was one of Captain Pike's friends and an adviser to Jim. She's a gentle woman, but is quite disciplined. Admiral Lucas too, smiles breifly then stops.

"At ease Captain," she responds. Adm. Lucas looks around quickly then looks back at the screen.

"How are you doin' Jim?" she asks, beaming. Jim can't help but smile.

"I'm doing fine Admiral," he responds. Adm. Jean gives a look of approval.

"That's good," she says. "Jim, Starfleet has given you an assignment that you might not like. I personally don't like it, but we don't have a choice," Admiral Lucas pauses. Jim nods and waits for her to go on.

"Captain, when we put Khan Noonien Singh back into stasis, there was a critical mistake. Someone had damaged his cryotube and as a result, Khan escaped," Lucas paused, letting it sink in. Before Jim could jump to conclusions; she quickly added, "We were able to contain him. The thing is, Khan can be of great use to the Federation and...well. It was decided that Khan shall spend his time on the Enterprise to be rehabilitated." Jim looked at the screen in shock.

"Please tell me you're kidding," he pleaded. Admiral Lucas nodded no. Jim made a 'one moment please' gesture and switched off the sound briefly. He spat a few choice words in various languages, then proceed to turn on the sound again.

"I'm sorry Jim, I couldn't do anything about it. Starfleet was adamant about this decision as the other starships are still waiting for their new captains. Khan will be placed in the care of the Ship's counselor. I believe that is Lieutenant Commander Keris?" Jim's jaw dropped and he looked like he was going to throw up.

"Hold on. First, our counselor is only a lieutenant. Second, Is Starfleet** i****nsane**? Lt. Keris is a-" Jim was cut off by the admiral.

"We have taken precautions and will provide your Counselor with the necessary tools to restrain him, if needed. And congratulations, Lt. Keris has been promoted to Lieutenant Commander. See to that. Please continue." Admiral Lucas responded coolly.

"Lt. Keris, No; Lt Cmdr Keris is one of the most gentle and kindest persons I know! Why are you asking her to rehab Khan. Khan is a psychopathic murderer who happens to be super human! If he tries to kill Keris, he probably will! It's like asking a kitten to rehab a lion!" Jim screams. Adm. Lucas looks unfazed by his rant.

"Captain, Lt. Cmdr Keris trained as a psychologist before joining Starfleet and is a genetically engineered Betazoid. Her mother was half human and half Betazoid and therefore sterile. That's why Keris was engineered as her father, a full Betazoid and an ambassador wanted children. It turned out that Keris was able to employ psychokinesis, though that took many years of mental training. It took many doses of mind-repressing medications for her to attend Starfleet academy She is one of a kind and if that doesn't sound qualified enough, I don't know of anyone else who can rehabilitate Khan. We have no choice." Admiral Lucas explained.

Jim looked defeated. "The tools will be enough to hold back Khan should he become hostile?" Jim questioned. Admiral Lucas nodded yes.

"Then it looks like I have no choice but to accept." he said weakly.

"She will be sending back reports on his behavior. You will pick up Khan at Starbase 27. He will be staying with the Enterprise for its five year mission. Good luck...Jim. Lucas out." the Admiral finished. 'Wait what?' Jim thought. 'Please tell me she didn't say five years' Jim's communicator beeped. He answered it.

"Captain speaking." he curtly answered

"Captain, I've just been promoted and I'm rehabilitation Khan?!" a female voice shrieked. Oh great, Jim thought.

"Captain, this can't be true can it? Please tell me it isn't true!" the voice cried.

"I'm sorry Keris," Jim began."I've just received a transmission from Admiral Lucas. She gave me the orders." A loud groan hurt his ears.

"I had so much to live for! I can't do this! But, it's someone who needs help. I can't abandon them but..." Keris continued.

"Meet at the transporter room at 1400. Kirk out." he finished. Jim couldn't help but feel pity for the meek counselor.

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**1400 hours**

Jim was at the transporter room awaiting the transport of Khan. Lt. Cmdr Keris appeared shortly dressed in a formal grey dress tailored to her slim figure. Her hair is styled into a bun and for once; she isn't wearing make-up. Keris's eyes look slightly red arounf the edges, though there was no sign of tears. She put on a forced smile and waited for the familiar glowing energy.

Six figure materialized on the transporter pad. Five were heavily armed and carrying various supplies while one was dressed in a grey Starfleet shirt and pants.

"Hello Captain." Khan greets. Jim and Keris look at each other briefly before forcing themselves to look a the smiling face of Khan.

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**A/n: Done. I apologize in advance for any character mistakes. Please review to let me know what you think. Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/n: Wow...just wow. Today, I received many notifications regarding Redemption and I just want to say Thank you to all of you who favorited and followed the story/me. Thanks for all of the reviews and now, back to our story. This part may get slightly dramatic.**

**Warning: This fic contains several spoilers for Star Trek Into Darkness. Reader discretion is advised.**

**Chapter Title: First Impressions**

**Previous Chapter Title: Introductions**

* * *

_Previously..._

_1400 hours_

_Jim was at the transporter room awaiting the transport of Khan. Lt. Cmdr Keris appeared shortly dressed in a formal grey dress tailored to her slim figure. Her hair is styled into a bun and for once; she isn't wearing make-up. Keris's eyes look slightly red around the edges, though there was no sign of tears. She put on a forced smile and waited for the familiar glowing energy._

_Six figure materialized on the transporter pad. Five were heavily armed and carrying various supplies while one was dressed in a grey Starfleet shirt and pants._

_"Hello Captain." Khan greets. Jim and Keris look at each other briefly before forcing themselves to look a the smiling face of Khan_.

* * *

_Some time before 1400..._

'Where is she?' Jim thought as she walked to the turbolift. Jim was trying to look for the Counselor, but she had disappeared all of a sudden. He checked her quarters, Sickbay, her office and the Mess; yet there was still no sign of her. Keris wasn't answering her communicator, which made the search for her more frustrating. Jim had finally asked one of the nurses if they had seen and or heard from the Counselor. They said for him to check Rec. room 3. The nurse said that she might be there. And that's where Jim is heading right now. He entered the turbolift and muttered the appropriate deck number. As the lift descended, Jim thought about the task that Keris would undertake.

Earlier, Admiral Lucas had relayed orders from Starfleet to the Enterprise regarding the rehabilitation of Khan Noonien Singh. To be more specific, it was the Enterprise's counselor that would be in charge of that task. After the transmission form Adm. Lucas and a brief conversation with Keris via communicator; Lucas had contacted Jim again to talk more about the mission. Lucas asked Jim to be careful with their "Special" patient. Starfleet had considered admitting Khan to a facility on Earth, but after a heated discussion they opted for the Enterprise as no facility would want to affiliated with the madman and it would be safer for Earth and any other planet for that matter to have Khan on a starship. And the only starship that wasn't temporarily incapacitated due to said madman's attack was the Enterprise. Keris was a relatively inexperienced counselor, however it was all Starfleet could do because no renowned counselor wanted to be associated with Khan. Jim felt a twinge of guilt for the Counselor. She was basically fresh out the Academy, thrown into a mission that resulted in the death of Vulcan and then into a mission where hundreds died when the Vengeance and its temporary pilot and designer leveled much of San Francisco. After going through that, the Counselor still remained strong, though probably for the sake of many others. There were rumors of Keris going to visit clinics designated for help treat PTSD. Whether that was true or not, Jim wasn't sure. But now he had to find her first and ask her what was wrong.

The turbolift let out a chime and the doors opened. Jim exited and headed down the hallway and entered Rec. Room 3. He wasn't sure what to expect but the sight that greeted him was rather shocking.

* * *

Lieutenant Commander Keris was known for her kindness and gentleness when it came to dealing with patients. She wasn't known to be a heavy drinker or a person who looked unkempt and was considered rather innocent. What Jim saw that he thought was shocking was the image of many empty shot glasses surrounding a face down Counselor. Normally neat hair was strewn around her face. The bartender looked slightly worried, but other than him; no one noticed. Jim swiftly walked over to the Counselor.

"Counselor. Come on, speak to me," Jim pleaded as he gently shook her. Keris groggily got up and stared right at Jim. Her eyes seemed unable to focus and she reeked of alcohol.

"How much have you been drinking," Jim exclaimed. Keris hiccuped and smiled.

"Only a...a little Jim," she slurred. Jim cleared away some of the more full glasses. He set the Counselor upright and tried to part her hair so it didn't cover her face.

"What happened," Jim asked. "I need you to tell me, you don't normally go out drinking this much," Jim said gently. Keris's frowned slightly.

"It was after our conversation," she began. Keris groaned and rubbed her head. Jim felt pity for the Counselor, she wasn't a drinker and she drank almost as much as he did on a bad day.

"Do you know what Admi- Admiral Lucas said? She called me all those nice things. Too bad most of them were lies," she replied bitterly. 'Lies?' he thought. Betazoids were known for their honesty, though not as much as the Vulcans. Jim motioned for her to go on.

"When you told me what she said about me, it brought back some thoughts that hurt. And I didn't wanna remember them, so I came here." finished Keris.

"Whoa, whoa whoa," said Jim. "Could you tell me the full story? I'll listen," he asked. Keris seemed to contemplate this thought then nodded.

"You've seen me use psychokinesis," she declared. Jim nodded. "Well, that part is true. But I'm not 3/4 Betazoid," she said quietly. Jim's eyes widened. All this time, everyone (including the Counselor) thought that she was 1/4 human. Now she was saying she wasn't. "Continue," Jim requested.

"Two weeks ago, I received a transmission from my parents. It was right before most ambassadors were relocated due to safety issues regarding Nero's attack. Before they left, they wanted me to know something," Keris paused. "The story of my real past. Everything I knew was a lie. You see, I am a genetically engineered person. My mother was sterile and unable to bear children. This devastated my father who wanted children. They commission some of Betazed's most gifted scientists to help them conceive. My parents donated DNA and the scientists went to work. Unbeknownst to my parents, the scientists had been working on processes that would enhance a Betazoid's telepathic abilities. It happened that they would test it on me. Every little detail was tailored to the parameters of the experiment. All my parents wanted was a girl. They implanted the embryo into my mother's womb and conception began. My parents suspected nothing," The Counselor paused.

"When I was born, I registered psi-null. Most Betazoid childrens' psionic abilities can be gauged at birth. I registered null. My father, who was considered mentally strong was disappointed. The scientist told him to wait. On my first birthday, my parents were instructed to bring me into the laboratory where I was engineered for a few tests. The results were astonishing. My mental capabilities had extreme potential. That was due to the scientist's intervention. At first me parents were joyful. But then, one of the scientist explained that I could be used for any threat to the planet or the Federation. This horrified my parents," Keris paused again, then took a sip of water the bartender brought earlier.

"My father is an ambassador, he works for peace. He didn't want his only daughter's purpose for war. Those scientists bred me to be a soldier. My parents demanded a way to reverse the effects or else face bad consequences. The scientist said there was n o way they could reverse my genetics without lasting damage; but they said there was a way to hamper my abilities. For the rest of my life, I would take psilosynine blocking medication along with other medications. That would dampen some of my abilities and the other medications would eventually change my eye color. My Starfleet file says I have dark brown eyes, but I stopped taking the medicine a day after the transmission my parents sent me. Look at my eyes Captain," she instructed. Jim looked at her eyes. They were black, her pupils he indistinguishable from her iris.

"A cover story was created. I was now identified as 3/4 Betazoid and 1/4 Human. Everyone believed that for the majority of my entire life. I've been living a lie, Jim," the Counselor muttered bitterly. Jim looked at her with pity.

"I don't need your sympathy," she exclaimed. "I've spent my life with sympathy for being human. They always thought my abilities would never have reached its full potential. I developed normally, but I chose to study the ancient teachings regarding psionic abilities. I wanted to prove something to everyone and I devoted myself to those teachings until I could use psychokinesis." Keris stopped. Jim nodded, he could relate to the Counselor. When his father dies, there was so much pity; Jim hated it. He never knew him and people would treat him less because of that.

"Will you be alright Keris," Jim asked. Keris nodded yes. "You've just spilled out your guts to me; you're taking it well," Jim remarked.

"Speaking of spilling guts, hold on a sec," Keris interrupted. She hobbled over to the nearest trash receptacle and barfed.

"Let's get ya' to Sickbay." Jim commanded. He took the Counselor's arm and dragged her to Sickbay to get something that could cure her.

* * *

_ The Present..._

"Khan," Jim snarled. Khan merely smiled back. Keris tried to walk over to the group just as Khan bent down to pick something up. One of the guards mistook that for an attack and accidentally hit Keris's side with the staff he was holding. Keris fell to the ground clutching her side. Immediately, Jim rushed over to her and tried to help her up.

"It's fine," Keris wheezed. "It's probably just a bruise," She fell to the ground. Jim dismissed the guards angrily, but not before he gave orders for the guard that hit Keris to taken to the brig. Jim tried to pick Keris up, but his arms were sore from a sparring match and Keris went down.

"Pick her up Khan," Jim commanded. Khan looked at the Captain and Keris, who had said, "Don't pick me up! I'm fine." Khan quickly grabbed Keris around her waist and hoisted her over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes.

"I'm not a bag of potatoes!' Keris shrieked. "I can walk," Khan tried to set her down, but she collapsed and he picked her up again. "Thanks..." Keris spat. Jim motioned for Khan to follow him to Sickbay. The three got many odd looks on the way to Sickbay. They had finally arrived and Khan plopped her down on the nearest bio-bed. Dr. McCoy briefly examined her and gave her a few pain medications before instructing the three to head down to the Mess. Before the three left for the Mess, Jim whispered into Keris's ear: "By they way, you and Khan are to stay together at all costs." Keris looked at Jim incredulously and gulped.

"I think I'm gonna' spill my guts again.

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**A/n: Done! I apologize if this chapter was a bit too OC-centric for you. I just needed to explain several things. Reviews are appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Again, thanks for all of those helpful reviews and all of those favorites and follows. I'm trying to keep up those updates; review, favorites and follows give me the inspiration so thank y'all so much! And now the 3rd arc of Redemption. This chapter is a bit more light-hearted. I decided to do some research on the Augments... I noticed that they were designed to be superior to humans in almost every way except for maybe morality. Perhaps some were engineered to be psi-positive. Since Khan is the leader...I'll leave you to think about that. Did you know, genetic engineering was so dangerous, it was almost completely banned in the Federation; however, there was still research and a black market. I'll leave you to think about that that.**

**Italics are used to denote thoughts and or section breaks.**

**Chapter Title: This really isn't my day...**

**Previous chapter title: ****First Impressions**

* * *

_Previously..._

_"I think I'm gonna' spill my guts again."_

* * *

"Whoa Keris, watch the shoes," muttered Jim. Keris hunched over clutching her stomach.

"It's nice to know that people care about my health," she mutters sarcastically. Khan looks at the two of them, quite amused. Keris gets back up, wincing slightly at her injuries. The three continued to walk to the turbolift. Keris looks a little better, but there is a strange tingling in the back of her head. She shrugs it off, thinking it to be a result from having a little too much to drink.

_"That is the last time I ever try to drown my sorrows in alcohol." _Keris thought. For a moment, she thought she felt a little amusement coming off of Khan.

_"That's odd," _she thought. The trio enters the turbolift and it starts ascending to the appropriate deck.

_"It's seems that you constitution is as strong as that sack of potatoes you mentioned earlier," _a smooth baritone drawls in her mind. Keris looked up in alarm. There was only three people in the lift and two were psi-null. Unless... Searching her thoughts once more, Keris discovered a strong psychic presence in the lift.

_"Khan?!" _she cries out in her thoughts. Keris detects some more amusement and smugness.

_"Unless there is another psi-positive being in this turbolift besides you, then yes; it is Khan. It seems that you're as intelligent as those potatoes," Khan sneered._

_"Hey," Keris cries out, "Why you little-" _Keris's thoughts were interrupted by Jim saying the group had reached their floor. Jim exited first, followed by Khan, who took the opportunity to look smug. Keris scowled and folded her arms as she exited the lift. The three walked down the unusually quiet hall when a slight rumbling noise shook the hall. Unfortunately for Keris and Jim, they both lost their balance. Khan looked on as the two muttered some choice words. Both were sprawled on the floor and struggled to regain their balance when Scotty popped out of a nearby Jefferies tube.

"Sorry 'bout that Cap'ain," he apologized. "Just fixing a couple of the artificial gravity systems." Scotty glares slightly at Khan then turns around and head back into the tube. The three finally entered the Mess and began to get their food. Dr. McCoy Spock, and Nyota had saved three places for the trio. Everyone had engaged in a conversation except for Spock and Khan, the latter just ate quietly and the former was reading a PADD. All was relatively calm until the civvie showed up.

That civvie was a human male in his 20's. He was tall and rather good-looking; but he was arrogant and stupid. One of his equally stupid friends had dared said civvie to shove the Counselor and cause her to land face down into her meal for 50 credits. And he did; of course, he'd played it cool and said it was an 'accident'. Keris glared at him. Mashed potatoes covered the bottom half of her face, while little bits of casserole decorated the area around her eyes. McCoy handed her a napkin to clean her face, while Uhura tried to do her best to wipe off the mashed potatoes. The people sitting the tables around her tried not to laugh. The civvie went in again and 'accidentally' shoved her again and 'accidentally' spilled brown gravy on the front of her dress.

Most people could see that this was not merely an 'accident'. Jim was about to get Security to throw that civvie into the brig, but he hesitated when Keris suddenly stood up and walked over to a replicator. She wiped her face so that the civvie could get a good look at her angry expression enhanced by the mashed potatoes, gravy, and casserole. Keris replicated three banana cream pies. She concentrated and made a lifting gesture with her hands. The pies hovered in the air and had moved over to the startled civvie. The Counselor made sure that the pies were especially close to the civvie's head. She flicked her hands quickly and the pies hit the civvie. Then, taking ice cream off of a vacant table, she manipulated it and telepathically shoved it down his pants. The civilian was jumping up and down screaming curses and about the cold. To add insult to injury, Keris kindly dumped gravy onto the civvie before going back to her seat.

The civvie's friends weren't very bright and they tried to retaliate against the food covered counselor, but they met opposition from the crew who saw what had happened. A full food fight had started. Pies, cakes, sandwiches and more flew around the room. Tables had been overturned to function as makeshift shields. Somehow Khan and Spock managed to stay clean while eating and reading. Suddenly, out of nowhere; a hot fudge sundae had caught Khan on the side of the faces. The fight stopped as people turned to look in horror. The human Augment stood up and turned to face a familiar food covered civilian. Khan made a lifting gesture with his hands and the civvie flew up. Jim had pulled out his phaser and was ready to shoot Khan when Keris said,

"Stop. I want to see what happens." Jim reluctantly put his phaser down, but kept his hand on it just in case. Khan kept the man suspended in the air while Keris picked up a bowl of chocolate pudding. She walked over to the Augment and the civvie and dumped the pudding on the civvie's head.

"Oops," she giggles. "Mr. Khan, I think we should head back to our quarters, What do you think?" the Augment tilts his head to consider the Counselor's question. He responded, "Yes, I think we should." Khan releases his psychokinetic grip on the civvie and the civvie fell. The Counselor and Khan walked out of the mess, ignoring the remains of the fight.

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**A/N: It's a bit silly, but it fits with the chapter title. Reviews are appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/n: Guys, last time I checked; this story had 65 follows, 25 favorites and 27 reviews. I would like to thank you all with a new chapter. Kudos to those who catch the slight reference. I'll try to keep up the updates! This chapter focuses more on starting to counsel Khan.  
**

_Italics denote thoughts._**  
**

**Chapter title: Second impressions?**

**Previous Chapter title: This really isn't my day**

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_Previously..._

_ "Mr. Khan, I think we should head back to our quarters, What do you think?" the Augment tilts his head to consider the Counselor's question. He responded, "Yes, I think we should."_

* * *

It had seemed that the Counselor's former cheerfulness had returned. After, she did release some pent up emotional stress by dumping a significant quantity of food on a rude civilian. Khan walked in front of the joyful counselor with a rather annoyed expression on his face. Keris had been sending out waves of smugness, happiness and pride; it annoyed him. He preferred to be surrounded by psi-null inferior humans No, he is assigned to a Betazoid counselor who is rather annoying with her emotions spilling out of her. Khan preferred being around inferior humans because he could not detect their thoughts and emotions; he would have a quiet mind. When he encounter the crew of the Enterprise and more specifically; hte Vulcan; Khan psionic abilites were reactivated. Being around this Betazoid woman meant having the silence in his mind that he enjoyed, disrupted. He couldn't gather his thoughts without picking up a random thought of emotion. It was infuriating. And to make matters worse, he had to share quarters with this nuisance.

Lieutenant Commander Keris didn't make a very good first impression with Khan. First, she crumpled onto the ground out of pain and was carried like a sack of potatoes to Sickbay _by _Khan and then she almost threw up on Jim's shoes. Yeah, if you want to make a good impression on someone who could easily kill you and is your patient; that's not how you do it. Keris was satisfied with her revenge, but she felt guilt for hurting the civvie and remorse for being selfish and worrying others. This wasn't the time to be selfish.

_"Stupid! How could I be so stupid?" __she cries out mentally._ Khan frowned slightly. Another thought to vex him. The two entered the turbolift. Keris pressed the button for Deck B.

_"Your aim is inferior," a baritone voice adds. _Keris turned away from Khan.

_"I hit who I wanted to hit," Keris hisses. "I wasn't aware you could use psychokinesis," she adds. _Keris detects familiar ripples of amusement.

_"I cannot," Khan admits. "Not on my own." _Keris was now confused. Not on his own? What was that supposed to mean?

_"What's that supposed to mean," Keris asks. _The former ripples of amusement changed into annoyance.

_" I thought you had received some psionic training. Your teachers would have told you this. What's the use of trying to educate you, it's like talking to a child." Khan growls. _Keris feels hurt and tries to hide the pain with an eye roll. The turbolift stops and the door opens. The two exit with Keris leading Khan to their temporary quarters. Keris didn't want Khan to stay with her (She wasn't exactly a fighter and if Khan got angry at her; she would probably be dead in less than 10 seconds, while someone who could fight well would be dead in about 20) but Starfleet's first psychological test was to have Khan stay with another person and see what would happen. If he was to be integrated into society, Khan's interactions with people must be observed.

Keris's quarters were much too small to accommodate two people. While Keris was off drowning her sorrows in alcohol; quarters reserved for ambassadors and or guests of honor were set aside so the two of them could stay there. The designation for their residence was #221, deck B. It could accommodate at least two people. Of course, hosting a super-human meant some adjustments had to be made. The windows were protected by force fields (Augments could survive without oxygen for a while. Betazoids? Not so much.) and the doors were locked onto their bio-signatures. The doors was also reinforced because normal doors wouldn't stand a chance against Khan. The replicator couldn't replicate any weapons, and all non food items would require the Counselor voice to authorize their replication. Somehow, Keris really didn't think that was enough, though that could be due to Khan standing right next to her. The two entered #221 and the doors shut quickly behind them.

The quarters were quite nice. Khan and Keris entered and were now standing in the main living space. All the doors were opened and Keris could see the two bedrooms on the opposite sides of the living area. Khan immediately stalked over to the left bedroom, oblivious to the hot fudge dripping onto the floor. Keris rolled her eyes, she would need to clean that up later. The left bedroom's door shut and moments later; Keris could hear the shower running. Speaking of showers, she really needed one.

Other than the mashed potatoes, gravy, and the casserole; Keris didn't have a whole lot of food on her body. The smell was rather strange though, it almost made her hungry again. Keris ambled off to the right bedroom and shut the door. She stripped down to her tank top and shorts and tossed the gravy stained clothing into the laundry chute. The Counselor sniffed her top. It seems that a simple sonic shower would not suffice. She steps into the luxurious bathroom and goes to take a sonic shower. One sonic shower did not suffice, so she switched the settings to a regular shower with water. That did the trick. Keris dried herself off and slips on short athletic shorts and a plain black t-shirt. She silently thanked the person who took the time to bring her clothing to the new quarters. She stretched out and reclined on her bed, reading her PADD (Remembering to thank that kind person who brought her stuff) when Khan enters the room.

It would have been a completely normal situation is Khan wasn't wearing anything besides a towel wrapped around his waist. Keris looks up, lets out a strangled yelp, and then puts on a dignified mien.

"Is there anything I can help you with Mr. Khan," asks Keris. She looks up and tries her best not to ogle Khan's body. (He wasn't _bad_ looking!) Khan hands her a PADD.

"I need a trench coat. Preferably dark colors. My exact measurements are on this PADD." Khan states. He turns around and starts to walk out of Keris's bedroom. Before he left, Keris sarcastically say, "Well good night to you too!" Khan pauses slightly, then continues walking. Keris rolls her eyes and goes back to reading her PADD. The PADD Khan gave went on the nightstand. She would look into finding a trench coat. Keris continues to read, but falls asleep. She begins to dream.

* * *

_In the dream..._

Keris found herself standing at the side of a battle field. Flames dotted the area. To her left, Keris saw a group to people lead by a familiar Augment. To her right stood a group of people heavily armed and waiting.

* * *

**A/n: Reviews, favorite, and or follows are greatly appreciated. Thanks for all of the constructive criticism.**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/n: Thanks again for reviewing, favoriting...etc. Again, I'll try to keep up the updates. With reboot Khan, we really don't know his back story, not yet at least. This is my take on what might have happened during his past. The Augments were genetically engineered super humans that were around in the 1990's.**

_Italics denote dream dialogue._

**Chapter 5 title: Revelations**

**Previous chapter title: Second impressions?**

* * *

_Previously..._

_Keris found herself standing at the side of a battle field. Flames dotted the area. To her left, Keris saw a group to people led by a familiar Augment. To her right stood a group of people heavily armed and waiting._

* * *

_Khan smirked at the other group. His own group looked like a pack of hungry wolves; they looked ready to fight the opposing group that was quivering. A tall man stepped in front of the opposing group._

_"You will not take this city!" he boomed. The man hefted a large gun and his soldiers did likewise. Khan's group wasn't as heavily armed, there were only about 10-15 people. They looked refined and elegant, there was not a trace of blood lust on their faces. The opposing group looked to have about 500 people. Keris stood next to at tree silently observing. Grimly, Keris muttered, "It's a valiant effort sir," she directed the comment to the man who declared his defense of the city. "It will not be enough. Run, hurry!" Keris offered futilely No one seemed to listen or hear the Counselor's warning. Khan nodded slightly and his group of Augments attacked._

_The destruction of the opposing group was very quick. Despite being heavily armed, they were defeated with little to no mercy. Death for some of the opposition was quick, for those who were lucky. The speed and grace that the Augments displayed as they swiftly cut down their enemies was horrifyingly captivating. Every leap, stab, shot, blow, and attack looked as if it was a dance carefully practiced and choreographed. Keris could not tear her eyes from this scene no matter how much she wanted to. She felt a twinge of guilt. The horrifying scene helped her to realize some things._

_ How could she be so selfish to make people worry about her sanity because of a personal problem? Jim, Dr. McCoy and others...They cared so much about her and she refused to be consoled and harshly rebuked their attempts to talk to her. The soldiers who tried to resist the Augments, they were brothers, sisters, friends, uncles, aunts, and so much more; they probably knew that they would probably never see the ones they love again. Yet they fought for the sake of the city and they didn't throw a temper tantrum or a have a scene. Tears rolled down Keris's face as the last of the group made their final stand against the Augments. It was finished. No one survived from the opposing group. The Augments, on the other hand looked unscathed and as beautiful as they did at the beginning. It was odd that those who had fought looked beautiful._

_"Shall we take the city now Leader?" asked a woman clad in silver armor. Khan nodded._

_"I will head back to base to check the status on the others. Venia and Teron, you will come with me." another woman and a man quickly went to stand by Khan's side. The group split up, leaving Keris all alone with flames and the corpses of those who had dared to oppose the Augments. Suddenly, the scene started to dissolve into darkness_

* * *

_The next scene..._

_Keris found herself standing in a palace courtyard. In front of her was a group that was sparring. In the midst of the group; a beautiful woman with wavy chestnut hair clad in simple clothing was fiercely defending herself with a sword against three other people. Keris watched in fascination. Unlike the movements of those who had fought earlier, this woman's movements were much more graceful and flowing. She swiftly forced her opponents to yield. Those who were spectating clapped loudly. The woman bowed and curtsied The cheering suddenly grew quiet. Khan walked into to courtyard and everyone bowed respectfully in his presence except for the woman. She looked defiantly at the leader of the Augments. Khan waved a hand to dismiss everyone but the woman. Keris ducked behind a fruit tree and spied on the two._

_"You dare not to bow in my presence Melete," The question would be quite threatening had Khan not smiled as he said it. The woman smirked._

_"Yes, Lord Khan; I do dare," she cooed. Khan smiled again. the two embraced and shared a passionate kiss. Keris's jaw dropped, she covered her gaping mouth with her hand. Khan had a lover? 'Perhaps I should brush up on my history' Keris notes. The two break the kiss and smile. They start walking off into the distance. Not wanting to lose sight of the couple, Keris ran after them seeking cover in a nearby bush. The couple talk to each other tenderly. Melete heard someone requesting her presence and turns to leave, but not before quickly kissing Khan. The scene dissolves into darkness once more._

* * *

_The final part..._

_Khan is carrying someone in his arms. His face is contorted with a look of sadness, anger, and hate. He lays down the body and gazes upon the dying face of Melete. Her life is fading and she manages to say a quick "I love you" before she slumps and the life drains from her eyes. Khan looks completely devastated and lets out an unearthly scream of anguish. Tears rolled down his eyes as he told a servant to prepare Melete's body for burial. Keris watched grimly from the side. The scenes are now changing very quickly. Scenes of battles, fleeing the Earth in a ship, and complete darkness pass by. More recent scenes such as flying the Vengeance into San Francisco and gazing upon the frozen forms of Venia, Teron and others pass by too. Then there is complete darkness._

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Khan has fallen asleep and begins to dream. He finds himself standing in a hospital room looking at a couple holding a baby. A person dressed in a lab coat come over to speak to the happy couple.

* * *

**A/n: Review are appreciated.**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/n: Thanks again for your reviews, follows, etc. This chapter picks up where the last one left of and shows a bit of Keris's past.**

**Chapter 6 title: The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side of the Yard**

**Previous chapter title: Revelations**

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Star Trek. The only idea I own is the OC Keris.**

_Italics denote what happens in the dream_

* * *

_Previously..._

_Khan has fallen asleep and begins to dream. He finds himself standing in a hospital room looking at a couple holding a baby. A person dressed in a lab coat come over to speak to the happy couple._

* * *

_The first scene..._

_Khan wasn't sure what to make of the Counselor. At first, she seemed like the rest of the crew of the Enterprise, but she set herself apart by broadcasting many thoughts. That annoyed Khan a bit. This dream was rather odd and boring, but since Khan couldn't do much; he looked on._

_"What should we name her," the new father asks. The baby in the mother's arms is fast asleep. The mother looks at the baby lovingly._

_"How about Keris? " asks the mother. The father and the woman dressed in the lab coat nod approvingly._

_ The other woman dressed in the lab coat clears her throat._

_"Your daughter is perfectly healthy. Now remember, you must bring her back to the laboratory in about 12 Earth standard months so we can run some final tests" The couple nods. __"Welcome to the world Keris." mutters the mother quietly._

___'Sentiment.' scoffs Khan. 'How weak.' The scene changes. This time, Khan finds himself standing in a laboratory. People are running around with PADDs or vials of chemicals grasped in their arms. Khan saw the woman who was wearing a lab coat carefully drawing blood from a toddler held by its mother. Curiously, the toddler did not wail as the scientist poked the needle into her tiny veins. The toddler let out a small protest then went back to looking at the bright surroundings. The woman took the small vial of blood and inserted it into a machine. Results appeared on a nearby monitor. The scientist smiled._

___"As you can see, your daughter's vitals are perfectly normal. However take a look at the line for psionic capabilities," the scientist demonstrated. The toddler vitals were quite average but there was one line that peaked dramatically. The parents stared at the line slightly horrified._

___"When we engineered your child, we were able to adjust the the limits of her psionic abilities. Of course, we did this quite ethically and the results are astonishing. Her capacity for mental abilities is great. She'll grow and develop normally, but the possibilities .." the scientist declared. She looked quite proud of her achievement She looked at Keris like she was some kind of science experiment, not a living, somewhat inferior being. Khan felt the tiniest fraction of sympathy for the child. The feeling of being considered a science experiment and not a person was quite familiar to Khan._

___"You said you were going to help us conceive a child, not a soldier or a weapon!" hissed the father. "Fix Keris's condition!" the scientist looked taken aback by the sudden outburst. She scrambled to find something. The scientist returned with a hypospray and injected something into the toddler._

___"That should reduce her capabilities," huffed the scientist wearily. "But she will need to take these for the rest of her life." The scientist finished. The couple looked slightly satisfied though their expressions were saddened. The scene dissolved._

* * *

___The next major part..._

___This time, Keris was now a young child. She was sitting in an ancient looking candle-lit library gazing at a scroll. She was reading it and was so engrossed that she didn't notice a nun entering the room. The nun smiled upon the young Keris. She placed a gentle hand on the child's shoulder. Keris looked up startled. She apologized and didn't mean to look too long, the scroll was quite fascinating. The nun looked down at the scroll. Pictographs of different stances were delicately painted onto it. Words describing the various movements and techniques accompanied the pictographs. The nun smiled again._

___"You're interested in those ancient teachings?" asked the nun. The young Keris nodded. "We do have some more modern works if you want to read them," The nun offered. Keris shook her head stubbornly._

___"I wanna know what those mean. What are they?" asked the young Keris. The nun looked down at the child with fondness. "I will tell you after i talk to the ambassa- your father and your mother." Keris looked disappointed but accepted the nun's answer._

___"OK." said the child. She held up a hand and the nun grasped it. The two exited the library. The scene started to change. This time though, they passed by more quickly. Images of a slightly older Keris struggling to pick up an object with her mind. Then the scene changed to Keris joining Starfleet Academy. Khan watched silently as scene of an older Keris laughing and having a good time with some of her classmates. The final part of the major scene was a panoramic view of the Enterprise. The scene then dissolved into darkness once more._

* * *

_The last major part..._

_Khan was now standing next to an adult Keris. They were standing in front of a window. She was gazing at a red planet, Vulcan. A large squid looking ship orbited Vulcan. Suddenly, a black hole appeared in the middle of the planet. It consumed the planet in a matter of minutes. Keris fell to the ground suddenly clutching her sides, tears running down her cheeks. The people who saw Vulcan consumed were numb with horror, but Keris was the only one who had a major physical reaction. Khan knelt down to see what was wrong with her. Tears were flowing quickly from dark brown eyes. Dark brown? Khan looked at the puffy, reddened eyes again. They were dark brown. Betazoid eyes were black; she was full Betazoid and her eyes were dark brown. The baby's eyes were black and so were the other versions of her. So why were her eyes dark brown? The scene began to dissolve into darkness again. This time, Khan fell into the darkness._

* * *

Meanwhile...

Keris woke up with a start. She wiped her forehead, it was sweaty. That was a strange dream she had. She looked at the clock. It read 4:42. Keris closed her eyes again and tried to fall back asleep, but no sleep came to her.

In the other room...

Khan woke up with a start. A cold sweat had appeared on his forehead. The nearby clock read 4:43. That was a peculiar dream, it was quite vivid. Khan decided to get up and wash his face.

* * *

**A/n: Reviews are appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed, favorited and or followed. When I saw Star Trek into Darkness, I wondered what would happen if Khan had gotten a chance to interact with the crew. This chapter is a bit more light-hearted. Slight reference to TOS. Cookies to those who spot the reference!**

**Chapter 7 title: I didn't expect this to happen**

**Previous chapter title: The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side of the Yard**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Keris.**

* * *

_Previously..._

Keris woke up with a start. She wiped her forehead, it was sweaty. That was a strange dream she had. She looked at the clock. It read 4:42. Keris closed her eyes again and tried to fall back asleep, but no sleep came to her.

In the other room...

Khan woke up with a start. A cold sweat had appeared on his forehead. The nearby clock read 4:43. That was a peculiar dream; it was quite vivid. Khan decided to get up and wash his face.

* * *

_0800 hours..._

"Here," the Counselor states. The woman hands Khan a large box. He raises an eyebrow.

"This is what you asked for. I was unsure what color you wanted, so I went with black. If you don't like it, please return it to me and I'll replace it." Keris replies quietly. She pivots on her heel and strides out of Khan's bedroom. Khan shuts the door and places the large box on his bed. He tentatively opens it; The Counselor seemed to be rather naive and kind, but Khan had known her for only a day. He wasn't sure whether the box contains something that would try to hurt him. When the box didn't try to injure him, Khan removes an item from the box. He realizes what he's holding and allows a tiny smile to appear on his normally stony face. A quiet knock on Khan's bedroom door interrupts his slight happiness. Miffed, he opens the door. Keris is dressed in her uniform.

"Are you ready to go to the Mess?" she asks. Khan nods and quickly puts on the item Keris got him. The two exit their quarters and head off to the Mess.

* * *

"Whoa, what happened Keris," asks Nyota. Keris has placed down her food and is about to sit at Nyota's table when the question was asked. The counselor's looked like she rolled out of bed and put on a neat uniform. Khan is sitting with the Captain, Spock, and McCoy two tables away from Nyota's table.

"I didn't get a good night's sleep. Could I ask you a favor Nyota?" asks Keris. The counselor has dark circles under her eyes and looks ready to slap anyone; a first for the normally cheerful woman. Nyota looks at Keris with sympathy and agrees to do Keris a favor.

"I am quite sleep deprived and I have arranged an emergency meeting with a teacher of mine. I cannot watch over (More like babysit) Khan today. Would it be too much for you to help take him around the Enterprise? Starfleet wanted for him to teach some sparring classes and I-" The Counselor stops in the middle of her sentence and blanks out. Nyota quickly shakes Keris. The counselor immediately responds, "No, I don't want a tribbl- ermm...Sorry! Where was I? Oh yes, Sparring classes. Anywho, I'm in no condition to supervise Khan. Could you take him to the gym," The sleepy woman looks hopefully at Nyota.

'The Counselor want _me_ to look over that madman? I don't want to get killed, but Keris looks sleep deprived. If she continues like this, she's going to slip up.' thought Nyota.

"I understand your hesitation Nyota and if you don't want to do it; I'll try to find someone else who will. I'm sure that Lieutenant Marla McGivers would be happy to observe Khan," the counselor yawns. Nyota feels guilty.

"No no Keris. I'll take accompany Khan today. You need sleep so you can take care of that meeting," Nyota insists. Keris looks relieved.

"Thanks Nyota!" Keris exclaims. She skipped over to Khan's table to tell him the news of the exchange. Then, Keris promptly passed out. Nyota sighs. Even sleep-deprived, Keris's habits and quirks never change. Two security members picked up the unconscious Counselor while a nurse fretted over the unconscious woman. Khan looks down at the unconscious woman, then strides over to Nyota's table.

"Hello Lieutenant Uhura." Khan rasps. He looks down at the sitting Lieutenant. Nyota defiantly looks at the Augment.

"Hello Mr. Khan," Nyota says coolly. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

_Sickbay..._

Keris lay unconscious on a biobed.

"I don't understand. I've injected her with a stimulant. She should be waking up now," a nurse frets. Dr. McCoy walks in, takes the unconscious woman's pulse, lifts her eyelids quickly and then turns to the nurse.

"She's in an induced psionic trance Ensign. It'll be a while before she comes back." Dr. McCoy finishes.

* * *

_The gym...  
_

Nyota is staring calmly at the strange group in front her. There's a good sized group of Security members, people who are curious, those who want to learn from the Augment, and those who are a bit stupid. Khan stands a distance away from the group that was cheering and jeering the pair that was sparring. Nyota observes their movements intending to practice her observation skills.. One of the fighters was a human female Security member. She is rather tall and strong. This fighter's style was rather aggressive, she tended to attack fiercely. She delivered strong blows to the other woman. The other woman appeared to be a civvie. Her frame was much more delicate looking, but she was fast and was stronger than she looked. The smaller woman took several blows to her gut, but she manages to retaliate with several lighting fast jabs placed strategically on the stronger woman's joints. Khan stares at the combatants silently, judging their moves. This unnerves Nyota slightly.

He didn't give any sign of approval or disapproval. Khan stood there silently like a statue. The women continue to spar until the smaller one wins by overwhelming the stronger woman by quickly jabbing the solar plexus and then exploiting the woman's surprise. The stronger woman was pinned to the ground by the civvie. The crowd cheers. The member of Starfleet is helped up by the civvie.

"You really put up a fight," the civvie says to the Security member. "I'd like to spar again sometimes." The Security member smiled and nodded. The two women walked off chattering about different techniques of immobilizing an attacker. Nyota smiles to herself. Suddenly, the excited chattering stops. Khan has asked a question.

"Who would like to spar with me?"

* * *

**A/n: Reviews are appreciated.  
**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/n: This chapter will be more serious and we shall probe the depths of a childish Counselor's mind.**

**Chapter 8 title: Fear brings out the Darkness and Light in all.**

**Previous chapter title: I didn't expect this to happen**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Keris.**

* * *

_Previously..._

_"She's in an induced psionic trance Ensign. It'll be a while before she comes back." Dr. McCoy finishes._

* * *

It had been a while since Keris had tried something this drastic. Falling unconscious in the middle of the Mess was a bit dramatic, even for her. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. It had started with Khan using psychokinesis and acting a bit too cheerful and childish for someone of his temperament. Then came the dream about Khan's past. Keris didn't get much sleep due to the intensity of the emotions. The heartbreak, love, savagery...It was too much. That's why Keris induced a psionic trance; she needed to calm down or she might go crazy. A crazy counselor is not good. All psi-positive Betazoids knew this common technique of thought collecting, but it was never as severe as falling unconscious.

In a psionic trance, the being who initiates the trance is aware of their surroundings. Keris was fully aware that she had been dropped several times (Thanks...) and that there were nurses that were fretting over her. She really couldn't do much except lie there and focus on her trance. It was very quiet, which bothered Keris. Usually she could hear the thoughts of almost everyone. All she heard was silence. It was absolutely maddening. That is until she heard the oh-so familiar defiant baritone.

"Who would like to spar with me?" the voice calls out. Keris is startled. That's not safe. Khan was a superhuman, much stronger than most people on the Enterprise except for maybe Spock. Keris stops the focusing. She needs to get a message to Nyota. The Counselor focuses on finding Nyota's mind. It takes a while due to her induced trance, but she locates Nyota. She's in the gym surrounded by many others including the Augment.

"Nyota," Keris calls out in her mind. "Can you hear me? Well, hear my voice in your _head_ but yeah, hear." Keris feels a faint humming from Nyota's mind.

"Counselor, you're alright!" Nyota cries.

"I'm fine, but did Khan just ask someone to spar with him? I really don't think that would be very safe." Keris responds cautiously.

"It'll be fine. Khan is wearing the tranquilizer cuff that the guards gave us. If he gets out of line, I'll just press the button on the remote and the bracelet will give him a large dose of pretty strong tranquilizing medicine to subdue him. Granted, it might not last very long due to his abilities but it's our insurance if something goes wrong." Nyota reassures.

"Wait, tranquilizer cuff? I don't recall him wearing that on the first night in our shared quarters." Keris asks

"Yeah, a tranquilizer cuff. It goes quite quite nicely with the black coat Khan's wearing. When did he get that? It looks nice." Nyota responds casually.

"Wait, so let me get this straight, I spent the night with a madman in my quarters with no way to defend myself. And I survived? About the jacket, it's- I'll tell you later." Keris squeals.

"Yes, you survived. Oh, sorry. The captain and Spock agreed to spar with Khan. I have to watch this. Good luck with whatever you're doing." Nyota replies. The connection is broken off. 'If I survived one night without a way to defend myself, something is wrong. Keris returns to focusing on the trance. She's almost to the stage where she can observe everything that is going on in her mind. Keris focuses for a few more seconds, then her mind is filled with a bright light.

* * *

_The gym..._

Nyota is sitting on the bench shocked. Captain Kirk and Spock have agreed to spar with Khan. Jim is a normal, impulsive, sometimes a bit stupid human. He isn't very strong compared to Khan. Spock is half Vulcan, but has Vulcan strength, speed, agility, and intelligence. Combined, Spock and Jim make a formidable team. But they're fighting against Khan. The man who took out about two patrols of Klingons pretty much by himself. The man who could kill someone within ten seconds. The man who leveled much of San Francisco. How did the Counselor survive the night in those shared quarters? The counselor was nice, but her bright personality clashed with Khan's reserved, arrogant personality. Nyota is quite intrigued and slightly worried about Jim and Spock. Khan nods and takes his position on the mat. Jim and Spock look towards each other and nod. They take their positions on the mat.

Khan makes the first move. He rushes towards the pair, but Jim and Spock dodge. Jim tries to punch Khan, but Khan redirects his blow to Spock. Khan uses this momentary distraction to attack Spock. Spock counters with a kick, while Jim goes in to attack Khan once more. Khan is undaunted by the speed of the attacks. He takes Jim and shoves him towards Spock. They both go down. Jim tries his best to look up at Khan (He has a Vulcan lying on top of him; that makes things a bit more difficult...)

"I give up." Jim groans. Spock nods. Khan sniffs.

"That was rather boring," Khan declares. "Is there anyone _else_ who would like to spar?" The group looks at the Augment. Several people shriek no, while some people look like they wet themselves. It looks as if no one is willing until a high voice asks, "What about fencing?" Everyone turns to look at the person who asked that question. A young woman with auburn hair dressed in fencing attire looks at the Augment. Mr. Sulu and several other people dressed in fencing clothes stand behind the woman. Khan tilts his head, considering the question.

"Why yes, I can fence. But my question for you is, Can you even come close to defeating me?" Khan challenges. The crowd lets out an "Ooooh" at the Augment's challenge. The group smiles.

* * *

_The Counselor's mind..._

The bright light fades. Keris is standing in the middle of a dark void. Memories start to appear around her. They look like screens displaying various scenes of her life. Keris walks around the void until she finds the one memory she had been trying to access. The image of Khan's face is directly in front of her. Keris stops and takes a deep breath before touching the screen. A white light engulfs the screen and Keris.

* * *

**A/n: Reviews are appreciated.**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews and favorites and follows. This chapter contains musings about the Augment. I also decided to insert a TOS character into the reboot universe. This fic also has a reference to My drabble Fic, But the Floor Needed a Hug. Cookies to those who spot both references.**

**Chapter 9 title: Bringing out the Darkness**

**Previous chapter title: Fear brings out the Darkness and light in all**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Keris.**

* * *

_Previously..._

_A white light engulfs the screen and Keris._

_"Why yes, I can fence. But my question for you is, Can you even come close to defeating me?" Khan challenges. The crowd lets out an "Ooooh" at the Augment's challenge. The group smiles._

* * *

_In the Counselor's mind..._

Keris is in a rather dim room. She is standing in front of Khan. The Augment is still like a statue. His face is stony. A black trench coat is draped on his arm.

"Khan Noonien Singh," Keris says aloud. "Genetically engineered super human, Conqueror of many, John Harrison...Why?" she continues. The frozen figure of Khan only stares blankly, it's just a memory. Keris paces around the stony figure, taking in his features. To many, he looked as if descended gracefully from Heaven, but he acted like something that came from below. When Keris was carried by the Augment the very first day, she could feel the thoughts of those the odd trio had passed. Thoughts of awe, fear, lust, and many more. It was a contrast to the many ordinary thoughts. He acted like he was a god to humanity, and indeed he had the features and abilities to back up his subconscious claim.

Khan was quite tall with broad shoulders and a defined physique. The night that he walked into her room clad in a white towel, Keris could not deny that he was beautiful. His upper body was defined, but not unnaturally muscular like a bodybuilder's. His skin was pale, but as flawless as white porcelain. When she was being carried rather unceremoniously by Khan, Keris could feel the anger and resentment of people around her. Some were jealous that a man as gorgeous as Khan was carrying someone as ungainly and plain like the Counselor. Others recognized who was carrying the Counselor and were immediately bitter. Khan's face rivaled the ancient marble sculptures from ages ago. His features were distinct, his eyes were a piercing light blue. His eyes looked as if they were meticulously painted with crushed lapis luzuli and untarnished silver. If he had landed among primitive beings, they would have made him a god.

Keris stopped gazing upon the motionless Khan. Despite his striking appearance, Khan was cruel, calculating and ruthless. He claimed to be superior to humanity, but his demeanor was sub-human. This man was willing to kill everyone or everything in his path. He obviously had restraints because he did not slaughter for fun. Khan did have morals, but they could not compare to humanity. Keris was a Betazoid, a race of humanoids that were naturally empathic and telepathic; that resulted in a society that was quite honest and sympathetic. Betazed had a peaceful history with very few wars. Compared to Earth's bloody history, the two worlds contrasted. That made things more difficult to analyze, Keris's Terran history wasn't very good; she would have to do more research on that topic.

If Khan was a ruthless dictator, why did he carry the weakened Counselor. Why did he drop the civvie who dumped an ice cream sundae on him instead of crushing his skull? Why didn't he kill the Counselor when she was defenseless on the first night? Khan did not tolerate weakness and yet, there was evidence of him being merciful. Keris racks her head for every explanation, but nothing comes to her. She slumps to the ground in defeat. Exiting the memory pertaining to Khan, Keris was out of ideas when on struck her. Literally, a bright glowing orb smacked the Counselor upside on the head.

"Even in my head, I fall down." mutters Keris resentfully. The idea that hit her was to look for something that might not even exist. A bond. Though that was extremely unlikely, all evidence pointed to a bond between the Augment with a holier-than-thou attitude and the Counselor that fell over a lot. Of course, her search might be in vain, but it was worth a shot. Brushing off the mind dust that had accumulated on her, Keris set off in the direction on a glowing area.

* * *

_The gym..._

Nyota waited, shoulder tense. Khan had agreed to fence a group of fencers. Hikaru was also one of the fencers in the group, but he decided to watch on the sidelines. His hand is wrapped in a athletic style bandage. That left about six fencers armed with foils and sabres against a super human who only wore a protective mask and wielded two foils. The woman with auburn hair who challenged Khan smirked before putting on her mask. An impromptu referee blows his whistle to begin the duel. The group rushes towards Khan with an ordered ferocity. They swing their foils and sabres with great speed and ferocity. The Augment retaliated by disarming two of the fencers with one quick swipe. Seeing this, the group silently attacks Khan from all sides. Khan defends with great speed and with extreme grace. The auburn haired woman takes this oppurtunity to swipe at Khan's...posterior. Her foil connects and the room goes silent. Usually, that would have earned that woman a foul and Khan would technically be out due to the foil making contact with his body. This is not the case because the rules weren't played by earlier when Khan disarmed two fencers and they exited the duel. Khan uses the surprise to his advantage and disarms the other three fencers. That leaves the woman.

The two rush into a heated duel, Khan's foils were swinging with a new ferocity, while the woman managed to block with speed and grace. The duel continues a few more minutes until Khan manages to defeat the woman. He puts the swords down and walks to the woman, who has removed her mask.

"What is your name," He asks. The woman smirks again.

"I'm Marla. Marla McGivers. That was quite a fight you put up there Mr..."

"Harrison. John Harrison." Khan replies very casually.

"Mr. Harrison. Perhaps I'll see you around, maybe in the Mess around 1900 hours?" Marla purrs. She saunters off leaving behind a stunned crowd and an befuddled and slightly impressed Augment.

"Did she-" Hikaru begins.

"Just ask him out. Yeah, she did." Nyota responds.

"Have fun supervising." Hikaru finishes. Nyota rolls her eyes.

* * *

_Sickbay..._

Keris wakes up with a start. She found what she's been looking for and is ready to confront Khan. She rolls off the biobed and very ungracefully falls to the floor.

"Owww." She moans. Pain will not stop her from confronting the Augment and the slightly injured Counselor picks herself off of the cold floor.

* * *

_On a faraway planet..._

A young girl wrapped in an olive green cloak smirks. She is sitting in a meditation room that is surrounded by various Greek artifacts. So it seems that one of the pawns in her little game has made some realizations. This ought to get interesting. The girls reaches for a bag that is filled with a pink powder.

'Soon.' she mutters to herself.

* * *

_To be continued..._

**A/n: Reviews are appreciated.**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews, favorites and follows! This chapter has a theme that is seen in my drabble fic. It may get a bit weird and fluffy after this chapter. You have been warned.**

**Chapter 10 title: Distractions**

**Previous chapter title: Bringing out the Darkness.**

* * *

_Previously..._

_Sickbay..._

Keris wakes up with a start. She found what she's been looking for and is ready to confront Khan. She rolls off the biobed and very ungracefully falls to the floor.

"Owww." She moans. Pain will not stop her from confronting the Augment and the slightly injured Counselor picks herself off of the cold floor.

_On a faraway planet..._

A young girl wrapped in an olive green cloak smirks. She is sitting in a meditation room that is surrounded by various Greek artifacts. So it seems that one of the pawns in her little game has made some realizations. This ought to get interesting. The girls reaches for a bag that is filled with a pink powder.

'Soon.' she mutters to herself.

* * *

_The Mess..._

Nyota is sitting quietly by Hikaru and Spock. Spock is eating quietly while reading a PADD. Nyota's and Hikaru's food is almost completely untouched; they're too busy watching Khan and Lt. McGivers on a date. Yes, they were on a date. Earlier, Marla had asked Khan rather subtly to join her for dinner at seven. At first, the Augment was rather blase and initially brushed off the request. It took a while to convince the Augment to join Marla (The Counselor would be proud of Nyota's skills of persuasion) and that's what Hikaru and Nyota were watching. The two gaped at the other pair casually eating dinner. Lt. McGivers was dressed quite nicely for this occasion, she was wearing a short black dress and she tied her auburn hair into a neat bun. Khan was eating quietly, he did not make eye contact with the enthusiastic McGivers. She tried to get him to talk about himself and what he liked. Khan didn't respond to many of those questions. It was rather awkward and it made Nyota cringe when the cheerful historian tried to ask a polite question only to be coldly rebuffed. Lt. McGivers continued to talk.

"This is a really awkward date," murmurs Nyota. Hikaru nods.

"I really can't believe Marla would ask out Khan. I mean, she doesn't know that it's Khan, but still. She's been in our fencing group for a while and I've never seen her act so animated in the presence of _anyone_. It's really strange," Hikaru mumbles back. Nyota, Spock and Hikaru weren't sitting very far from where Khan and Lt. McGivers were, so every little bit about the awkward date was mumbled. If those two heard anything that was said, they gave no indication of anger, embarrassment, and or irritation.

The Mess hall's doors open and a disheveled Counselor burst in. She makes her way to Nyota's table and sits down angrily in between Nyota and Hikaru.

"Where's Khan," she huffs. Nyota points to where Khan and Lt. McGivers are sitting. Keris looks over and her jaw drops. She looks at Nyota and Hikaru dumbfounded, while Spock is eating peacefully, completely oblivious. Lt. McGivers was giggling while Khan looked extremely bored.

"Are they-" Keris squeaks. Hikaru and Nyota nod.

"Really? I didn't expect that. And they really are-" she continues

"Yep."

"So who asked the other one out," Keris inquires.

"Marla asked Khan out." Nyota responds. Keris breathes in quickly and looks very shocked. There's an interesting expression on her face. It's not one of of horror, disgust, or even jealousy. No, the Counselor has a happy expression on her face.

"Aw," she cooed quietly. "That's adorable! How's the date going so far, I've been unconscious since about breakfast, I don't know anything. What happened? Ooh, I need to get some food, I'm starving!" The Counselor babbles. Keris looks expectantly at Nyota for answers.

"Okay, Okay slow down. First, the date has been pretty awkward so far; Khan hasn't said a single word. Long story short, during the sparring sessions after a fierce fencing match; Marla asked Khan out. At first, Khan wasn't even going to go, but I convinced him. You'd be proud," Nyota answers calmly.

"You should get something to eat, you look like you're going to fall over Counselor," remarks Hikaru.

"I've already have!" Keris squeals before she runs off to get some food. Nyota smiles and shakes her head. Keris was cheerful and adorable; even in the most inappropriate times and places. The Counselor returns with two plates piled with various foods. She attacks the food with a manner of someone who hasn't eaten for about nine hours. In between mouthfuls, Keris explained why she had fainted so quickly. Nyota also filled the Counselor in on what else had happened earlier that day.

Lt. McGivers walks by the table with a sad expression on her face. Keris has swallowed and looks like she's been slapped across the face. Keris explains quietly, "Khan just ended their date and Marla is quite hurt. Can't blame her 'cause he didn't talk the whole time." Nyota looks disappointed. Hikaru leaves the table saying something about going back to the gym to fence. Keris leaves and walks up to Khan, but not before Nyota handed her the remote that controls Khan's tranquilizer cuff. The two walk out of the Mess, one face looked bored and disgusted while the other face looked angry and hurt. 'This might get ugly.' thought Nyota to herself.

* * *

_221, deck B_

Khan and Keris are standing in the middle of the living area. Keris looks furious. She looks up defiantly at Khan.

"How could you just brush Marla off like that," she hisses. Khan doesn't respond. Keris shakes her head.

"Not only that, I figured out why you were able to lift that civvie with your mind. You **used ME!**" she spat.

"Oh, so you managed to figure that out? It took you long enough. And I didn't _use_ you," Khan replies nonchalantly. Keris now looks even more furious.

"You bonded us," she accuses. "Why? I'm just your Counselor for now, I am not a resource that you can use to become more powerful," she yells.

"I didn't bond us," Khan says. Keris stops her angry pacing.

"You did," responds the Augment. Keris is stunned. That couldn't be true, could it? There was no way that she would bond with _that_ man. Keris checks her mind several times before she comes to a conclusion: Khan is correct. Keris sits down in a chair looking devastated. "Why?" she says over and over again.

"And another thing," she begins. "Why did you have to brush off Marla like that. Was it because she reminded you too much of **Melete?**" she asks. Khan swiftly grabs the Counselor by the neck. He begins to apply pressure and start squeezing slowly. Keris claws at his large hands feebly.

"**You will not mention her name**," Khan hisses. "**You will not make assumptions about me. I am superior to you, I am not some common patient. You've annoyed me for far too long, that was the last straw**." Keris tries to fight for air, but it's no use. Images of her past appear to her, then her vision is clouded. Suddenly, a pink cloud engulfs Khan. Startled, he drops the Counselor. She clutches the ground, gasping for air. That cloud looks familiar, but Keris's vision is quickly turning dark. Before everything turns black, Keris sees that Khan's coat has fallen and the black fabric is pooled around a small figure. Then, there is darkness.

* * *

_On a faraway planet..._

The young girl smiles. The bag that held the pink dust is empty. Everything should be go as planned. Now, she would confront the Enterprise.

* * *

**Reviews are appreciated.**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: Some of you asked about the possibility of there being a romance between Khan and Keris. I'm not really planning that, though I am flexible with my ideas. We'll see where this goes. This chapter contains large amounts of fluff and cuteness. Finals are coming up, so updates might be slightly delayed. Don't fret, I will do my best to keep up the daily updates.**

**Chapter 11 title: Is this really happening?**

**Previous chapter title: Distractions**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Keris.**

* * *

_Previously..._

_"**You will not mention her name**," Khan hisses. "**You will not make assumptions about me. I am superior to you, I am not some common patient. You've annoyed me for far too long, that was the last straw**." Keris tries to fight for air, but it's no use. Images of her past appear to her, then her vision is clouded. Suddenly, a pink cloud engulfs Khan. Startled, he drops the Counselor. She clutches the ground, gasping for air. That cloud looks familiar, but Keris's vision is quickly turning dark. Before everything turns black, Keris sees that Khan's coat has fallen and the black fabric is pooled around a small figure. Then, there is darkness._

_The young girl smiles. The bag that held the pink dust is empty. Everything should be go as planned. Now, she would confront the Enterprise._

* * *

Keris is currently lying unconscious on the floor. She is peacefully lying there until she is woken up by a series of sharp jabs.

"What?" she shrieks. Before she fell unconscious, Keris remembers seeing a cloud of pink dust engulf Khan. The last time something like that happened, Dr. McCoy and Spock were changed into women. That was an incident that she didn't want to repeat with Khan. An angry Augment with excessive levels of hormones is not something Keris would want to explain and deal with. Keris looks around for any signs of Khan. She is still being jabbed by something behind her, so she quickly turns around to face what was jabbing her. Keris saw something that she would never have guessed. A child.

"Khan?" the Counselor tentatively asks. The child nods, then continues to jab the Counselor. Little Khan appears to be about four to five years old. He looked like his older self, though his features were more child-like and youthful. Khan was wearing the clothes he was wearing earlier before he transformed into a child. His shirt was much too large for him, the sleeves were being dragged. His pants were pooled around his legs, while he looked liked he was drowning in his jacket. Keris had the urge to hug the child, but decided against it because she did not want to get judo-flipped and thrown against the window. Keris wasn't sure if the little Khan had his memories and abilities; perhaps this would be advantageous to his rehabilitation. Keris sits down so she can talk to Khan a bit easier.

"Do you know who I am Khan," she asks cautiously. Khan shakes his head no. The little child looks up defiantly at Keris.

"Who are you?" the child chirps. Keris has to urge to cry out "Aw!" and hug Khan, but she does her best to look calm.

"I'm your caretaker, you can just call me...Aunt...Keris," she stutters. Khan looks confused, he doesn't recall having an aunt named Keris. "Do you need something Khan?" asks the woman. Khan nods.

"I need some clothes that fit better, why am I wearing these?" he responds. Keris nods, She's his Counselor and as of now; She is his babysitter. Babysitting wasn't in the job description or requirements, but this is the Enterprise. They've encountered much more bizarre things.

"I'll take care of that, please give me a few minutes." Ten minutes later, Khan is dressed in a miniature version of what he was wearing earlier. He's even got a little matching trench coat. Keris is doing her best not to squeal and take a lot of pictures. Khan is reading a PADD that the Counselor gave him when the door chimes.

"Who would need me this late at night," wonders the Counselor aloud. She goes to answer the door and greets as tired looking Pavel.

"Mr. Chekov, Is there something I can help you with," Keris begins. Pavel nods. He moves out of the door way to reveal a small blond child hiding behind him. Keris's jaw drops.

"Is that who I think it is?" she yelps. Pavel nods.

"Oh come in then! You look exhausted. Let me get you some ice water and you can fill me in on what happened. Pavel enters the quarters and sits down in a chair. He gratefully accepts the glass of cold water. Between sips, Pavel explained that the Captain was in Rec Room three when a pink cloud of dust covered Jim. They found a child version of the Captain in Jim's place.

"Well, you aren't the youngest member of the crew any more!" Keris exclaims. There was another chime. Keris went to answer the door. Nyota is standing there patiently holding a small Vulcan child.

"Is that," Keris begins. Nyota nods yes.

"Come inside, Would you like anything to drink," Keris replies. Nyota shakes her head. She takes a seat besides Pavel.

"It's happening again," Nyota remarks. Pavel looks confused.

"That little Platonian girl, daughter of the Platonian ambassador. Her name's Charis. She's got a friend named Mailen. Mailen happens to be the daughter of the Nerangian ambassador. The Narangians are known for their "magicians". Apparently, they have strange powders and potions that can do things that are scientifically impossible; at least, for now." Nyota begins.

"Charis was responsible for making us wear those riduculous costumes. I wore a tankini for a whole day. Charis later got her revenge for us telling on her by changing Spock and McCoy into women," Keris interjects. Pavel looked stunned.

"It's a long story," Nyota groans. "It seems that Charis has changed Khan, Jim, and Spock into...5 year olds." Nyota continues.

"Wait, who is taking care of the kids," asks Keris. Pavel and Nyota look at Keris. The Counselor groans.

"You know, I am a Counselor, not a babysitter." She groans. During the time Keris has been in the Enterprise, Keris was dubbed "Mom" or "Babysitter" due to her ability with children and her tendency to "Baby" other crew members.

"You're the only one who is available. Besides, they're just kids, what kind of trouble could they cause." Nyota says nonchalantly. There's a crash, followed by cries of "I didn't do it!" Keris cringes.

"Good Luck!" Nyota and Pavel say before they run out of the quarters. Keris turns to face a 5 year old Vulcan child, a 5 year old super human, and a 5 year old Captain. This was going to be_ fun._

* * *

**_A/N: Reviews are appreciated_**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/n: Hello my readers, As you have realized, I've been keeping up daily updates. I know y'all like those, but it's a bit difficult... I'll try my best to keep them coming. This chapter begins right after chapter 11. There is fluff due to there being 3 five year old children in the care of a childish Counselor with a strong Maternal instinct. You have been warned.**

**Chapter 13 title: Quality time**

**Previous chapter title: Premonitions**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Keris**

* * *

_Previously..._

_"You're the only one who is available. Besides, they're just kids, what kind of trouble could they cause." Nyota says nonchalantly. There's a crash, followed by cries of "I didn't do it!" Keris cringes._

_"Good Luck!" Nyota and Pavel say before they run out of the quarters. Keris turns to face a 5 year old Vulcan child, a 5 year old super human, and a 5 year old Captain. This was going to be **fun**._

* * *

"What was that," asks Keris cautiously. Jim simpers, while Khan rolls his eyes. Spock replies, "There was a scuffle between Jim and Khan. No one was injured, though you should consider buying a replacement vase." Keris looks satisfied with the little's Vulcan's answer.

"We will deal with the broken vase later; I have to take all of you to Sickbay," Keris declares. Khan and Jim briefly stop another scuffle to look at the Counselor incredulously. How was she supposed to get three five year old children to Sickbay. She certainly wouldn't have them hold hands; that was a bit awkward considering one of the children had tried to kill the entire crew of the Enterprise. Before she could think of a way to get the children to Sickbay, Keris suddenly felt some weight on her shoulders. She was able to balance and not fall over which was good for Khan. Khan had quickly jumped onto the Counselor's shoulders. Keris felt something grab one of her legs. Jim was hugging her leg and smiling. That left Spock.

"Come along Spock," Keris says. Spock walks up to the Counselor and tentatively grabs her hand. The four walk (Keris and Spock walked, not Khan and Jim as they were hitching a ride) out of the quarters.

* * *

On the way to Sickbay, Keris got some strange looks. Considering that the Captain was clinging to her leg, the First Officer was holding her hand and the man that almost killed everyone aboard the ship was sitting on her shoulders; Keris would give herself a weird look too. Of course, she was a single woman and she was surrounded by three five year old children. An older woman stops the Counselor.

"Oh! Such adorable children. You've been busy. Are they all yours," cooes the woman. A blush appears on Keris's face. She was just 27 years old and she was single. Does that not mean anything anymore?

"Ah, no," Keris insists. "I'm just their babysitter."

"Oh. Well, you seem to have things under control. I couldn't get my kids to behave like that. Granted, they didn't cling to my leg or sit on my shoulders, but it looks like you're doing a good job. Good luck!" the woman says before she walks off. She was going to need that luck. Keris continues to trudge on to Sickbay completely oblivious to Khan and Jim making faces at each other. She walks in, not expecting anything weird.

* * *

When Keris walked into Sickbay, she wasn't expecting much. All she needed was a nurse to make sure that the children were OK. Of course, the Counselor would have preferred Dr. McCoy to check the children because McCoy didn't squeal. But when Keris walked in, she was quickly surrounded by several nurses. They squealed over the children that Keris was carrying or accompanying. Jim seemed to like the attention and releases Keris's leg; she sighs happily because Jim was starting to cut off her circulation. Dr. McCoy notices the commotion and quickly breaks up the mob. The nurses that didn't mob the Counselor looked curiously at the Counselor before returning to their respective jobs.

"Thank you," Keris wheezes. The three children return to her side and look curiously at McCoy. The Doctor takes a step back and has an expression of disbelief on his face.

"That kid looks like Jim and that Vulcan child looks like the hobgoblin. That third kid looks really familiar," McCoy replies. Keris takes a deep breath, she wasn't used to people surrounding her and what she was about to say would shock McCoy.

"That's Jim, whom is currently sitting on my feet; Spock is a well-behaved child and the other child is Khan," she says quickly. McCoy's eyes widen.

"How did they-" he begins.

"I'll explain later. In the meantime, could you give the children a quickly medical exam; they look fine to me, but I'm a Counselor, not a doctor." Keris finishes. McCoy nods. He manages to pry Jim off of the Counselor.

"Come on kid, let's go." McCoy grunts. Jim looks back at the Counselor, slightly scared. She smiles reassuringly. Jim looks slightly relieved and ceases to resist McCoy.

"Careful McCoy, I think that Jim thinks that you're going to hurt him." giggles the Counselor. McCoy chuckles a little.

"I won't hurt a hair on his head." McCoy sets the young Jim on a biobed and starts scanning the child. Keris turns to watch over Spock and Khan. The two seemed to be having a staring contest. Both of the children look determined. Keris could see that several nurses and patients were placing bets on who would win. The Counselor chuckles quietly to herself. McCoy has finished examining Jim and calls over Spock. The young Vulcan climbs onto the bed obediently. McCoy begins scanning Spock. Keris turns to look at what Khan and Jim were up to. It seemed that Jim enjoyed being carried and cooed over. He was being passed around and it seemed that he enjoyed it. Khan was quietly sitting and observing his surroundings. Spock hops off of the biobed and walks over to Jim. The two begin a conversation, something about how pretty some of the nurses were. Keris shakes her head. No matter how old he is, Jim will always be Jim. It's now Khan's turn to be examined.

The little Augment is hesitant at first, but he leaps onto the biobed with grace. McCoy briefly scans him and nods. Khan jumps off and returns to his original position in the corner.

"They're all healthy," McCoy remarks. Keris breathes a sigh of relief.

"You should be careful, they've got a whole lot of energy. Perhaps you could take them to the gym; there's a swimming pool. What happened to Spock, Jim and Khan anyway?"

Keris clears her throat. "Do you remember that time that you were turned into a woman," she asks in a quiet voice. The Counselor really didn't want to damage McCoy's reputation. McCoy nods with a grimace on his face.

"That same powder got Khan and the others. No one else has been affected, at least; I hope." McCoy nods. There's a quiet rumbling sound. Jim looks at McCoy, slightly embarrassed.

"You know, this could be an advantage in reforming Khan. Spend time with the kids, it'll be a lot of work. But it's worth it," McCoy murmurs as he fiddles with the tricorder. He accidentally drops it.

"Da-" Keris shoots McCoy a withering look. "-rn it. I dropped my tricorder." Keris looks satisfied. She walks over to the children.

"Children, are you ready to go to the Mess?"

* * *

**Reviews are appreciated.**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/n: Thanks for all of the reviews! I'm out of school and have more time to write. I really don't know if I should have Khan and Keris, I really didn't plan for that. They are bonded, but that doesn't technically count; it will be explained in later chapters. I'm not sure I should have a romance, but I'm not completely against romance. I will try to keep up the updates. Suggestions are very welcome.  
**

**Note (as of 6-15-13) I've had some problems with chapter order, I apologize for any inconvenience)**

**Chapter 14 title: Some more quality time**

**Previous chapter title: Quality time**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC, Keris**

* * *

_Previously..._

_"Children, are you ready to go to the Mess?"_

* * *

Jim nods gratefully. Khan doesn't look up and Spock nods, then resumes talking to a nurse about something. Keris took that as a a yes. Again, the Counselor was unsure about how to take the children to the Mess, but the children figure it out. Khan and Jim reclaim their spots on the Counselor (Shoulders and right leg respectively), but Spock decides to walk next to the Counselor. Some of the personnel and patients whip out PADD and other personal devices. They start taking pictures, though only some try to be subtle. Keris walks out of Sickbay and heads out into the hallway once more.

Rumors spread extremely fast on the Enterprise. The rumor about "The Counselor and her children" spread at speeds rivaling Warp 9.8. The hall buzzed with whispers as the Counselor and her entourage passed through them. It was rather awkward for Keris, but it seemed that everyone else enjoyed it. The Counselor trudged on (She wasn't super strong!) and finally made it to the Mess (Having a five year old clinging to your leg does not help you move faster).

At this time (around 2000 hours), no one was really in the Mess. That was great, because Keris would rather not be swarmed by cooing crew members. She set Khan and Jim in some chairs, while she helped little Spock into another chair. The children chimed in with requests for food. Keris walked off to the replicators with various thoughts swirling around in her head.

* * *

_Meanwhile in the brig..._

The former guard smiled quietly. She had been in the brig for about a day, but all was going according to plan. It would've been better if that stupid counselor didn't get in the way. But the guard had a back-up plan and was about to put phase 3 into action. She glanced at the current Security member whom was put in charge of guarding. He was too busy reading a PADD. 'Perfect' thought the imprisoned guard. Reaching into a chest pocket, she quickly pulled out a silver disk. The woman pressed the center of the disk and threw it on the ground. At the same time, the prisoner pressed a spot on her uniform. She turned invisible while a hologram replica of herself appeared. The prisoner glanced at the guard again. He was still reading. The prisoner stripped off her grey guard's uniform. She carefully took out a vent cover and slipped into the ventilation system. No one noticed, which was rather convenient. Once in the vents, the prisoner switched off her camouflage. The prisoner shimmied along until she reached a larger area where multiple air ducts converged. She shifted into a sitting position and pulled a pin out of her hair. She pressed the tip and the small pin transformed into a smooth 30 cm cylinder. The prisoner paused to take in the sight of her beloved weapon. She pressed a button on the cylinder and an orange tendril of energy materialized. She deactivated the energy whip and changed it back into a hair pin. The dangerous pin was tucked into her hair and the woman shimmied on. Soon, she would get a chance to use it on her target; but not quite yet.

* * *

"So are you finished eating now?" asks the Counselor. The three children sitting next to her nodded and each child got out of their seat. The Mess doors opened and a small swarm of crew mates filled in. Spock, Jim and Khan huddled close to the Counselor for safety; The children weren't accustomed to swarms of admirers mobbing them. The swarm took the children aside and separated into three groups. Each group had one child at the center of attention. Keris was left alone. She tried in vain to retrieve the children in her care, but the swarm of crew members was too much for her. The Counselor moved to he edge of the room and sat there watching the chaos awkwardly. The groups thinned out a bit as some people left for their shifts or to go to sleep. The remains of the swarm spread out and were not as grabby. Keris merely observed; she was unsure what she was supposed to do. Her thoughts were interrupted by a little Khan running up to her. He looked rather annoyed, irritated and shockingly, scared. Keris opened her mouth to say something to the disgruntled child, but she stopped abruptly when he climbed onto her lap.

Khan Noonien Singh, conqueror of countries, superhuman sat on her lap. Granted, he was just a five year old; but it was still quite shocking. Khan pouted and adjusted his position so he was more comfortable. Unsure of what she was supposed to do; Keris awkwardly paced her arms around the child on her lap. That's what mothers do right? Khan didn't seem irritated with the physical contact, so Keris assumed that hugging the five year old Khan was alright. Keris adjusted her arms and moved Khan into a position equally comfortable for both of them. Khan looked inquisitively at the Counselor for a few seconds before closing his eyes and resting his head on her shoulder. The Counselor looked at the child in shock as she patted his back. The groups around her paid no attention to Keris and Khan.

This situation provided an opportunity for the Counselor to observe Khan. It was a rather odd situation, but Keris took what she got. As she held Khan in her arms, she decided to send him soothing thoughts via empathy. The child was visibly disturbed with all of the attention he had gotten. Keris was rubbish at this technique, but she tried her best to be gentle and not mess things up. She began sending thoughts.

* * *

_The vents..._

'I must move on.' thought the woman. She had passed by several quarters seeing things that could not be unseen, she had passed by a basketball game (And she took the time to watch) and she had even passed by Sickbay and listened to an angry voice with a Southern accent rant on about how the Captain was always getting himself hurt. But there was no sign of her target. The woman listened for any signs of the familiar voice of the target, but found to trace. She shimmied on.

* * *

_The Mess..._

"Oh my," said Nyota Uhura. She was off duty and oddly enough, she was hungry. Normally at this time, she would probably be reading in her quarters or meeting with Spock. Today, however was an exception. On Nyota's way to the mess; she was joined by Pavel. The two discussed several things when the subject of the Counselor and her three charges came up. Nyota thought that Keris might go insane, while Pavel thought she would do fine. The two entered the Mess and were greeted by a very interesting sight. Spock and the Captain were being mobbed. Nyota swooped in and rescued the kids. She left them with Pavel and went off the scold the mob for scaring those poor children. Pavel watched over the children nervously until Jim asked him a question about one of Pavel's favorite superheroes*. That became a conversation about rivals and superpowers. Being the youngest child in his family, this was the closest thing to being a big brother. Pavel chattered on until he saw a shocking sight.

The Counselor was sitting near the edge of the Mess with Khan sitting on her lap. Khan looked to be asleep, and the Counselor's eyes were closed. She seemed to be murmuring something. It was an adorable sight. Spock and Jim seemed oblivious to what was going on. They decided to talk about some strange subject. Pavel motioned for Nyota to come over to where he was sitting. Nyota reluctantly walked over to where Pavel was sitting; she wasn't quite finished with the terrified mob. She looked to where Pavel was gesturing and all of her anger seemed to vanish in that moment. Nyota covered her mouth to stifle an exclamation of "Awww." She pulled out a small recording device and took several pictures. Pavel walked up to the Counselor and tapped her shoulder.

Keris quickly opened her eyes. She was greeted by the sight of a grinning Pavel and Nyota. She groaned slightly and remarked,

"Maybe I'm getting the hang of this mothering thing."

* * *

**Reviews are appreciated.**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hello my readers! Thanks to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed. Sorry about updating so late; I had a case of writer's block. I am in need of a beta-reader, if you are interested; please let me know through PM. There is fluff, reader discretion is advised.**

**Chapter 15 title: Turning point  
**

**Previous chapter title: ****Some more quality time**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Keris**

* * *

_Previously..._

___"Maybe I'm getting the hang of this mothering thing."_

* * *

Keris was tired. Yesterday, she didn't get much sleep. Today, she had fainted, underwent an induced coma and now she was a babysitter. It's strange how often one gets assigned to jobs that were not clearly stated in the job requirements/description. Of course; Keris was not babysitting any normal children. Oh no, she is babysitting her half-Vulcan first officer, her Captain, and her superhuman patient.

It doesn't help when people are stalking you because of who you're babysitting and when said people mob your children and you can't do a thing about it. It really doesn't help when two of your children insist on climbing on you like a jungle gym. And yet, Keris found that babysitting three younger versions of people whom she respected and feared rather...fun. Maybe it was her maternal instinct, maybe it was just that those kids were just plain adorable. That sort of helped her trek back to her quarters. The children seemed rather tired, so Keris had to carry Khan and deal with a sleepy Jim clinging onto her leg. At least Spock wasn't sleepy.

...

_"_Jim, please let go of my leg." Keris requested. The sleepy child shook his head. Keris groaned softly before she attempted to pry Jim off of her numb leg. It took several tries involving; pleading, threatening, groveling, and then bribing before Keris got Jim off of her leg. And no, Jim did not get off her leg because she 'suggested' he should get off and go brush his teeth and change into his pajamas. If anyone asked, it certainly did not involve empathy. Perhaps a tiny bit, but that matter was not open for discussion. Luckily, Spock had already gone off and dealt with whatever he needed to do. Keris was exhausted and thinking about Spock wasn't exactly on her list of priorities. All she wanted to do was run to her room, maybe change into pajamas and sleep. She debated doing all of the above before realizing that she was still had Khan in her arms.

The Counselor gazed down upon the child in her arms. Why did someone who had taken the lives of many look so innocent? Even his mind was innocent in comparison to his older self. There was no turmoil, anger, or hint of a plan to escape the Enterprise in this child's mind. All the Counselor could sense was the curiosity of a child. Perhaps the powder had the ability to not only change a person's biological age; but also their mental age. Keris couldn't help but think about what would happen when Khan, Spock, and Jim returned to their current ages. There was nothing to worry about regarding Spock and Jim, but Khan? If it weren't for Charis and her oh-so convenient intervention; Keris would be...dead.

It was terrifying to think that she was holding a younger Khan, a dictator, terrorist. And yet, he looked so peaceful sleeping in her arms, at _her_ mercy. The effects of the powder were unknown; for all she knew, Keris could be a surrogate mother for the rest of her career. There were people screaming for the blood of the terrorist they only knew as John Harrison- to reveal his true identity would cause more chaos. People demanded he be put on trial. Only the crew of the Enterprise and Starfleet admiralty knew of Khan's presence aboard the Enterprise. This was the very person in her arms.

She shifted the sleeping Khan over to one arm. With her arm freed, she absently brought her hand to her neck. It was still sore where Khan had squeezed. There was going to be bruises. While she examined her neck, Khan begin slipping out of Keris's one armed grasp. Realizing that gravity was trying to take one of her charges; the Counselor swiftly readjusted the child. She clumsily strode over to her bedroom, then struggled to open the door. Once she was inside, she gently set the sleeping Khan onto her bed. Awkwardly, she pulled a comforter over him. Deciding that was satisfactory (Being exhausted, her standards were lowered a bit), Keris began to walk out of the room. She stopped abruptly after taking two steps and debated something that was a bit crazy. For a minute, strange facial expressions graced her face as she debated the subject. After said minute, she dashed over to the bed and placed a chaste kiss on Khan's forehead before muttering: "Good night" and dashing out. (For her troubles, she would receive a lovely bruise from hitting the door as she dashed out)

* * *

"Spock, what are you doing up? I thought you would be meditating, or sleeping. Sorry, I'm not very familiar with Vulcan er...resting customs*." The Counselor mumbled. The little Vulcan child looked up at the Counselor. Spock had two mugs and a PADD on the table. One mug was full of hot tea that had steam curling off of the top. The other mug was half-full and had a few drips on the rim. Spock typed in a few things before he looked up at Keris to respond.

"It is quite alright Counselor. I wanted to partake in some tea before I began my meditation. While I experienced some difficulties with reaching the replicator, I was able to replicate tea without any damage." responded Spock. Were all Vulcan children this self-sufficient? Spock changed into his robes, replicated tea and managed to get it without any apparent of help (None of the chairs were out of place or in front of the replicator) Keris sat down next to Spock and gladly accepted the steaming mug of tea. The two conversed about the latest events aboard the Enterprise. The tea had a slight awakening effect on Keris, but after a few minutes of conversation, she was ready to pass out.

"Good night Spock. Thanks for the tea!" she mumbled. The Counselor stumbled off to her room to get some sheets, but she did not make it to her room. She fell onto the ground due to exhaustion. Immediately, Spock went over to her side to see if she was alright. He was relieved that Keris was just tired and now fast asleep. The little Vulcan grabbed a blanket that the Counselor had given him earlier and draped it over her inert from. Satisfied, he returned to the table to continue his reading, oblivious to what would happen next.

...

After hours of searching the ship, the woman had found her target. She found them by luck and had to wait a few minutes for the Counselor that forced her to revise her plan to fall asleep. Now was the time to strike. The woman activated her camouflage before she entered the vent. Inside the vent, she peered into the room looking for her target. Instead, she saw a young Vulcan child reading a PADD. Ah, so this was the First Officer. She heard the rumors as she crawled through the tubes. The woman thought of a new idea, one that would increase her bounty. She drew a small silver device from her camouflaged bodysuit and quietly entered the ambassadorial suite.

* * *

When Keris woke up, the quarters were quiet. Someone had draped a blanket over her when she fell asleep. Her neck and lower back ached, but she was alert. When one was taking care of three five year old children; silence meant something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Keris called out their names, but received no response. She checked the whole suite, every nook and cranny. There was no sign of the children. Finally, she tried to search for their presences aboard the Enterprise, If they had sneaked out of the suite (She was expecting that), Keris would feel their presence. To her shock, there was no trace of the children. The Counselor frantically looked around the quarters again for any clue of the whereabouts of the children. The only thing she found was a strange symbol etched onto the table where Spock was reading.

The symbol was beautiful in a rather frightening way. This symbol had appeared on Federation news. Politicians knew this symbol and were wary of it. For this symbol was the signature of a well known and feared bounty hunter, the Shadow. The Shadow was known for their stealth as the name implied. He/she was known for their efficiency and the amount of hostage crises they started. Over the past year, they had already earned over a million credits in hostage money. And now they had taken her children. **Her** children.

There was an edge in Keris's tone as she whispered into her communicator, "Security to 221. Lieutenant Commander Galan here, we've had an incident. The children have been kidnapped."

* * *

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